DRIVERS in the West Midlands look more likely than ever to be used as guinea pigs for the first congestion charging scheme outside of London.

DRIVERS in the West Midlands look more likely than ever to be used as guinea pigs for the first congestion charging scheme outside of London.

The chances of the region being used as a trial area grew after it emerged the Government is considering forcing local authorities to impose tolls on motorways and main roads.

Transport Secretary Douglas Alexander wants to put a Bill before Parliament as early as next year giving him the power to impose pay-as-you-go charges on motorists.

West Midlands councils including Birmingham have already indicated their will-ingness to take part in a road pricing pilot scheme on the understanding that income from tolls would be used to improve public transport.

In a leaked letter to cabinet colleagues, Mr Alexander suggests that drivers would have hi-tech monitors fitted to their cars to record every journey made.

Charges would be imposed on the basis of the type of road used and the time of the journey, with peak hour trips likely to attract the highest tolls.

Birmingham Chamber of Commerce believes congestion charging is inevitable but is demanding better trains, buses and trams before the imposition of road pricing.

Chamber policy director Jerry Blackett said: "We have got to understand the consequences for our local economy, which is relatively fragile compared with London.

"We have to be sure that if we introduce road pricing businesses feel they are going to be more competititve as a result."

Mr Alexander's proposal coincides with a survey indicating that increasing levels of traffic congestion are hitting the competitiveness of the West Midlands.

Jams on the motorway and trunk road network are already said to cost business in the region #2 billion a year in lost time.